NOTHING which affects the great truths of the Gospel is unimportant. The history of religious opinions especially, which is but a view of the workings of the human mind brought into contact with the claims of God, is full of instruction. In the origin and rise of any peculiar tenets, the mode in which they arrange themselves into a system, the relations they form to other systems of truth or error, and the practical results to which they lead in the lives of their votaries, we find much to illustrate the philosophy of the mind, and to guide us in the formation of our own opinions. Especially is it conceived that doctrines which spring up and ripen on the soil of our own New England, however apparently insignificant from their obscurity or absurdity, can not fail to awaken the interest and the notice of all who claim descent from the truth-loving fathers of New England. Many of our readers remember, doubtless, the Perfectionism which was promulgated in New Haven and the vicinity, some twelve or fifteen years since; and which, having wrought its mischiefs in distressing and dividing several of the smaller churches, gradually disappeared from view, and has since been supposed to be numbered among the things that were." Such, however, is not the fact. know, indeed, little of what its his tory has been since; but we learn that it has been transplanted, and is, in some measure, now flourishing in Vermont. An establishment, based substantially on the principles of the Community system, is in operation at Putney in that state, where

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are assembled a considerable number of 'believers' under the leadership, as it would seem, of Mr. Noyes, who was one of the first advocates, if not the father of the system, at New Haven. Other disciples are scattered abroad through most of the northern states, to the number, it is supposed, of from seven hundred to a thousand. A bi-monthly periodical,-the "Spiritual Magazine," is their organ of communication with the world; and from this and other sources, we learn that they believe their views to be spreading, and the general condition of the sect to be highly encouraging.

The book, whose title we have given above, is a large and handsome octavo of 504 pages, composed wholly of essays and other articles which Mr. Noyes had previously contributed to the various periodicals that have at different times been devoted to this faith. They are written with great vigor of style, and, except when occasionally obscured by mysticism, with great clearness; and are well adapted to impress a mind inclined to this sort of religious speculation. Though lacking formal coherency, it is yet easy to deduce from them a system of doctrine possessing unity, and a good degree of consistency with itself; an outline of which we propose to exhibit, as a specimen of the theological rarities that may be found not a thousand miles from home.

We begin with the views which this work presents of the nature, properties, and laws of spirits and spiritual beings, including the soul of

man.

This is a point of prime importance to the right understanding of other parts of the system. Mr. Noyes asks

"What is a Spirit?-We answer: It is a fluid, having many of the properties

of caloric, light, electricity, galvanism and magnetism; and in addition to these, having powers of assimilation, growth, and self-originated motion, being susceptible of personality, feeling, intelligence and will. "We freely confess that we are so far materialists, that we believe there is no such vast chasm between spirit and matter as is generally imagined, but that the two touch each other, and have properties in common--that caloric, light, electricity, galvanism and magnetism, are in some sense connecting links between the material and spiritual worlds-that spirit is in many respects like these fluids, and is as truly substantial as they. We do not ascribe to spirit length, breadth and thickness,' in the common acceptation of those words, because the nature of all fluids precludes those properties. Yet if a specific portion of any fluid is separated from the mass and confined in a solid vessel, that portion of fluid assumes the length, breadth and thickness of the vessel. So if a specific portion of spirit or life is confined in an animal form, that life assumes the length, breadth and thickness of that form. In this sense we believe that spirits have length, breadth and thickness." -pp. 55, 56.

A broad distinction is made between the spirit and the soul, thus

"A soul is a modification of spirit, produced by union with a material body. What is the nature of that modification, which distinguishes a soul from mere spirit? We answer:-1. When the vital fluid from God entered into combination with Adam's body, that fluid took the form of that body. It certainly animated every part of it; of course it existed in every part, was as large as all the parts, and had the form of the whole. A soul then is distinguished from mere spirit in this respect, viz., the former, like the body, has a definite shape; while the latter, like air and other fluids, has none. 2 The spirit which God breathed into Adam's body, by its intimate union with every part of that body, and by its consequent intercourse with various material substances, as food, air, &c., necessarily received into itself some of the properties of matter. As Adam's body was spirit ualized matter, so conversely, Adam's soul was materialized spirit. This modification places the soul in a middle position between mere spirit and matter; and in conjunction with the first mentioned modification, accounts for the fact that souls, according to the representations of Scripture, have the forms and functions of bodies, and are definite visible substances to spiritual eyes. (See Luke

16: 22, 23, &c.; Rev. 6: 9.) The spirit which God breathed into Adam's form, was a mere fluid, without definite form, and without material cohesiveness. If it had been instantly withdrawn, before a permanent union of it with matter was formed, it would doubtless have remained an incohesive fluid-an undistinguished part of the whole spirit of life. But as soon as it entered into combination with the dust-formed body, it received the shape and cohesiveness of that bodybecame partially indurated or congealed; so that it ever afterward retained a definite shape, and of course an identity separate from that of the universal spirit of life. If this were not so.-if the soul were a mere fluid spirit, when the body dies that spirit would return into the abyss of life from whence it came, and lose its identity; just as a portion of water, taken from the ocean, when its vessel is broken, returns and is distinguished no more."-pp. 57, 58.

We do not propose to comment very largely on these and other opinions which we meet in this work, much less attempt to refute them. We should about as soon think of carrying logic to Bedlam. They are adduced rather as curious speci mens-rare aves-in mental and theological science, which we leave to the reader to inspect and judge of for himself. A single remark only is suggested by the above the ory, that it presents a new, and in some respects convenient method of ascertaining the mental capacities of mankind. If the soul has the form, shape and size of the body,-is 'as large as all its parts,' and fills it as water fills the vessel which contains it, then evidently, we have only to measure the body itself, as a gauger measures the capacity of a cask, to learn the magnitude of the soul within. Estimated by this rule, there are certainly some great men in this world, of whom fame has not yet spoken!

Starting with this theory of the nature of the mind, it becomes an easy matter to investigate its properties and laws. These are devel oped in the doctrines of Mesmerism. For since the soul or animal life is a fluid of the same generic class

with caloric, electricity, magnetism, &c., it is apparent that its phenomena must be similar to theirs; and hence the science' of animal mag. netism. This, we are told, is the only true metaphysics, the only philosophy which gives any correct knowledge of the mind, or exhibits on just principles its functions and operations. Mr. N., as we shall see, makes it the key to the explanation of all spiritual matters and all the doctrines of the Gospel, and builds upon it, in short, his whole theological system.

After detailing some marvelous experiments said to have been performed in 1842, by Dr. Buchanan of Kentucky, an account of which was communicated by Robert D. Owen, in an article in the New York Evening Post, our author finds in them "a theory which establishes the possibility, and explains the philosophy of all the wonderful works by which the origin of Christianity was attested."

"In the light of this theory, what is there incredible in the accounts which we have of Christ's healing the sick? It is evident that the effect was produced by a fluid that passed from him to his patients. He usually laid his hands on them. What was this but a means of establishing communication between him and them, by which the vital fluid might pass? The case of the woman who was healed of an issue of blood, recorded in Luke 8: 43-48, shows positively that the healing power of Jesus Christ was a fluid that passed from him, as electricity passes from the machine that generates it. touched the hem of his garment and was healed. And he perceived that virtue was gone out of him.' Here is evidence, not only of a transmitted fluid, but of the passage of that fluid independently of the will of Jesus, and by means of an inanimate conductor. This is all in accordance with the laws of Animal Magnetism. At least it does not contradict them, and is no more mystical thun the operations of Dr. Buchanan.

She

It is only necessary to suppose that the battery of vital energy in Jesus Christ was immensely stronger than in Dr. B.different in degree, not in kind-in order to account for the principal discrepancies between Christ's system of operation, and modern neurology. The vital power of Dr. B. is so feeble that he finds only

here and there an individual with nerves weak enough to receive any sensible impression from him. Whereas the spirit of Jesus Christ was so mighty that all who applied to him were found impressible.' The battery was so heavily charg ed, that its fluid passed where faith attach

ed it, without any vehicle but a word. A few cases even are recorded, in which cures were performed without either word or contact, and with a great disject. Dr. B. could sensibly effect a pertance between the operator and the subson at the distance of forty feet by means of a metallic conductor. But Jesus Christ healed the centurion's servant (Matt. 8:5) at a distance probably of miles, and

without any wire between. The centu rion's faith, which Christ pronounced unparalleled, was the only conductor.

tigation, Dr. Buchanan will find means "Perhaps in the progress of his inves to increase his nervous powers either by self-training, or availing himself of the power of others. But he will never approach equality with Christ, as a practical neurologist, till he establishes communication with God the great source of vital energy. There is no danger that the miracles of Christ will ever be rivaled by mere human neurologists. The stream can not rise above its fountain; and so long as mere human life is the fountain of magnetic influence, its effects will only be proportioned to the weakness of human nature.-Nevertheless we say again, that the miracles of Jesus Christ, dently, as to their philosophical nature, as recorded by the evangelists, were eviand the process by which they were performed, operations of the same kind with the experiments of Dr. Buchanan; certainly not more mysterious-different only in the degree of their power."-pp. 76, 77.

These assertions, though uttered by one who is absolutely perfect, and can not sin,' are audacious if not blasphemous. The miracles of the Son of God, of the same kind with the manipulations of some juggling mesmerizer! And Christianity rests, not on the authority of his works in actually suspending and reversing all natural laws, but only on his display of skill and power superior to those of other magnetizers! What, pray, could Robert Dale Owen, or any other infidel, desire beyond this statement? And how far is it from the the Pharisees of old; "He casteth charge alledged against Christ by out devils by Beelzebub the prince

We must pass with the briefest possible notice, many of the curiosities of opinion contained in this book. Among them is Mr. N.'s idea of the mode of God's existence.

In relation to the Godhead, we agree with Trinitarians on the one hand, that Jesus Christ is a divine person, co-eternal with the Father, and was his agent in the work of creation. But we agree with Unitarians on the other hand, that the Father is greater than he, and that the Holy Spirit is not a distinct person, but an emanation from the Father and

the Son. We believe not in the Trinity, nor the Unity, but in the Duality of the Godhead; and that Duality in our view, is imaged in the twofold personality of the first man, who was made male and female!' Gen. 1: 27. As Adam was to Eve, so is the Father to the Son; i. e., he is the same in nature, but greater in power and glory-The Father and the Son are concentric spiritual spheres. Their relations to each other are those of male and female. The Father fills the Son, and is enveloped by him. The Son envelopes the Father and is filled by him. Though in a subordinate sense it is true that each fills and each envelopes the

other-that the Son dwells in the Father as well as the Father in the Son, (for to

a certain extent, in all combinations of spirits, there is an interchange of relations and functions,)—yet in a general sense, it is evident from Scripture that the Father is the interior life and the Son the exterior. Thus in the prayer of

Christ, the order of indwelling is indicated in these words;- That they may be one as we are one; I in them and Thou

in me.' The Father is the indwelling life of the Son, as the Son is the indwell ing life of believers. That the relation of the Father to the Son is that of interior to exterior, or male to female, appears also from these words of Paul;The head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.' 1 Cor. 11: 13.

It is obvious that in all combinations the interior life must be more compact, and therefore stronger than the exterior. The female capacity is in its very nature negative. Weakness makes rooin for strength. Deficiency embraces fullness. Hence the Father takes precedence of the Son. My Father,' says Christ, is greater than 1.'"-pp. 5, 488.

Mr. N.'s opinions in regard to the prince of evil, though scarcely less singular and fanciful, are not equal

pects a revival of ancient Manicheism. Satan is declared to be an uncreated, self-existent, eternal being, originally and essentially evil; and as such is the first cause and creator-principium et fons-of all sin. The Gordian knot respecting the existence of moral evil in the world, which theologians have had so much difficulty in untying, is thus solved at a stroke!

We pass to notice the views of Perfectionism respecting the doctrines of Christianity--beginning with the fall of man.

All men, in their natural state, are depraved, but not alike deprav. ed. Adam was originally holy, after the divine image. In his temptation in Eden, however, Satan contrived to bring him within the attraction of his own sinful spirit, and by the known laws of animal magnetism, subject him to the impulses of his will. Hence he sinned; and by sin rendered his subjection to Satanic influence permanent. "The streams from the two eternal fountains," (i. e. God, and Satan) "flowed together in him. His spiritual nature was primarily good, as proceeding from God; but secondarily evil, as pervaded by the devil. With this compound character, he had the power of propaga. ting his own likeness. As the offspring of Adam's body was twofold, distinguished into male and female, part following the nature of the primary, and part the nature of the secondary parent; so the offspring of his spiritual nature was twofold, distinguished, like that nature, into good and evil, part following the character of the primary, and part the character of the second. ary spiritual element. In other words, Adam had two sorts of spiritual children; one of them like himself, primarily of God and secondarily of the devil, of whom Abel was a specimen; the other primarily of the devil and second